She Promised
by fortheloveofOTPs
Summary: Jessalie's life was twisted by hera when she found her way to the roman camp rather then the greek where she truly belonged. now, in fear for her life, her two siblings have pushed her out of the demigod world, hoping to giver her a chance at 'normal' for once. but they should know better, when you're a child of a god, normal is never in sight.
1. Chapter 1

**hey guys, I started a new story, not really able to fit into any certain time in the pjo series, maybe after lost hero, but with thalia and Jason and percy and annabeth and my new character, Jessalie. so I really hope you guys like this, I wrote this a couple years ago, at 3 am after I couldn't sleep since the story kept circualtiong in my head, and ive just continued it from there. please review and let me know what you think!**

Jessalie stared at the girl, blinking back the tears that blurred her vision. The rain fell in sheets, soaking them, reaching down their backs with icy fingers. It plastered the taller of the two girls' usually spiky hair flat against her scalp, and with the help of the roaring wind blew the younger girl's long hair across her face.

Jessalie's eyes were red from crying and being stung by the rain, but she didn't dare reach a hand up to wipe them for she knew that one, she would most likely fall and two, the girl standing before her would vanish. The rain made her inky black hair look even darker, if that was possible, and made Jessalie's usually blonde and curly locks appear straight and brown, darkened by the rain.

To any other passing person, though who would be out in this rainstorm only Zeus knows why, we would have appeared crazy; two girls perched in a tree, some thirty to forty feet above the ground. Yet to them it made perfect sense.

Jessalie lifted her hand off the slippery branch in a desperate attempt to hold on to the girl standing before her. Her remaining hold on the branch with her other hand weakened, and she felt herself begin to slip towards the edge of the narrow tree limb, motivated by my fear of height to hold tight and never let go.

Jessalie stared into the girl's eyes, a direct mirror image of her own clear sky blue eyes. People would swear that you couldn't tell their eyes apart, but I knew that a select few could. Hers seemed bottomless, filled with untold secrets about her past, stories she had promised to tell Jessalie when she was older. Stories of her days with Luke, and in a small space, carefully stored away, stories of what it was really like when she was a tree. Long story.

She grabbed Jessalie's shoulders, jarring her back to reality and clearing her senses.

"Jessly," she began; using the old nickname she hadn't called me in years. "Jessly, get your head out of the clouds. Quit dreaming Jessly, this isn't another one of your stories, this is real life."

Jessalie nodded, but her eyes weren't focused on the girl, but rather off in the distance, on two orangey blobs that were making their way quickly towards the two girls. Jessalie instantly knew who they were, and that she didn't have much time. She had to tell her.

"Jessalie," she snapped, using my full name. "Jessalie Aura. Listen to me for once. I have to go away, I have to-"

"I know what you have to go do Thalia, I'm not dumb. Jason is helping and he tells me stuff. Unlike you." She had cut her off, which considering her situation was probably not the best idea. But luckily for Jessalie, Thalia ignored that, instead continuing on, desperation showing clear in her eyes.

"Then you understand. Please say you understand Jessalie."

"I do Thalia, but you have to promise me, please, just promise me this one thing, that you'll-" she cut herself off, unable to go on. Tears were really streaming down her face now, mixing in with the rain. She wanted to freeze the moment, to never let time continue on, but instead keep Thalia with her, safe. But that didn't happen. The clouds became blacker, the wind raged on, and the orange blobs that were in the distance were closer now, more defined. People. Of course they were people.

"What Jessly?" Thalia asked, leaning in so she could hear her easily.

"Promise me you will come back." She seemed taken aback when Jessalie said that, like when was she ever going to _not_ come back, but she knew better. It wasn't about choice, but carelessness could get her taken away forever. "Promise me," Jessalie whispered again.

Jessalie knew she shouldn't have been able to hear her over the wind and rain, but she also knew that despite all that Thalia could hear her, loud and clear. The rain gushed a little harder and the wind blew a little stronger, both results of the two girls strong emotions. Jessalie risked another quick glance at the approaching people and was disappointed to see that they already had faces.

Another huge gust of wind came, driving the rain completely sideways and almost pushing the two off their branch. "Louder!" Jessalie screamed at the other girl, who despite being clearly older and taller seemed to shrink in comparison. "Promise me louder!"

Jessalie desperately grabbed at her sister's hand. "Thalia?" she questioned.

Thalia's head jerked up and as the sisters' gazes met there was a crack of lightening that flashed across the sky, quick and fast, like a crack in the sky.

"I promise you Jessalie Aura. I promise you I will co-, I will come back."

Jessalie visibly relaxed, letting the other girl know that she believed her. Thalia lifted a hand and gently brushed her sister's wet hair out of her face, and then pressed her hand against Jessalie's, giving her a look like she would never ever see her again. It was a look full of pain and desperation, of sorrow and sadness, a look begging for forgiveness. Even her always bright eyes had lost their shine.

"I love you, my sister." She said, "And I _will_ see you soon. I promise."

She had added the last part like it was the most common thing in the world, like it didn't carry the weight of all Jessalie's worry at the time.

"Soon," Jessalie echoed, watching as her sister's eyes got that far away look in them.

Thalia removed her hand from her sister's, then turned and jumped off the branch, using the air pressure as a way to soften her fall. She gave Jessalie a small salute and a sad smile, calling up a final "Soon."

Jessalie only nodded in response as she watched her disappear into the dense brush.


	2. Chapter 2

**here's the next chapter! these last two have sort of been like a prologue, and the next chapter will be jumped ahead three months, to summer. so let me know what you guys think!**

As Jessalie watched her sister's faded black shirt disappear into the mist and trees she thought of all the 'could have's. She could have run after her, followed her, and begged her to return. She could have even gone with her, kept her from acting rashly, or seen her to safety. There were so many things Jessalie could have done, but only one thing she did do.

Besides, if Jessalie had ran after Thalia she would just send her back. And begging or trying to supervise Thalia would only cause Thalia to become more stubborn. So instead Jessalie slid helplessly down into a seated position, still on their high branch, back against the trunk, staring at the place where her sister had stood, only moments before.

She stared at that place, where her sister promised her, she had _promised_ her that she would come back. Jessalie glanced down and saw two figures standing at the base of the tree, looking up, peering into the branches. Percy and Annabeth, her sort of cousin and his girlfriend. She had always liked Annabeth, but lately Annabeth had been getting in a mood whenever she was around Jessalie, for reasons Jessalie could not even begin to understand.

"Jessly?" Percy called up, "Please come down Jessly."

Jessalie mutely shook her head, an action that was just barely visible to the two on the ground.

"She won't come down Percy," Annabeth started, "she is t-"

"Percy cut her off, midsentence. "Annabeth, you're freezing! Why don't you go back to Jessalie's house and warm up. The back door should be unlocked."

"But what about you?" Annabeth inquired.

'Man,' Jessalie thought, 'almost had her gone.' It was one thing to talk to Percy but with Annabeth there she felt like her intelligent grey eyes were scrutinizing every single thing I said.

"I don't get wet from the rain, son of the sea god perk," Percy explained.

"Well, okay then," Annabeth mumbled, turning and stomping out of the woods in the general direction of my house, looking back every three steps or so.

When she was completely out of sight, swallowed up by the fog, Percy called up to Jessalie again.

"Jessly, Jessa Jessa Jessly, either you come down or help me up."

Jessalie smirked a little, 'fine then,' she thought, 'I'll help him up'. She only had to twitch her hand a bit to send him shooting up into the air. He didn't stop screaming until she had lowered him onto the spot where Thalia had recently vacated and shut him up with a glance of her 'Thalia Glare'.

Percy carefully made his way across the branch over to Jessalie and wrapped his arms tenderly around her. She buried her face in his shoulder and let out a lone, strangled sob. She hadn't realized she was crying until then, but now that she had started she knew she couldn't stop.

Jessalie relished in the moment, feeling safe and secure in Percy's arms. If Annabeth ever saw her she would definitely kill her, but Jessalie and Percy weren't like that. They had that sort of best friend, brother-sister relationship. Where you could tease each other mercilessly and still defend each other to your last breath. But the idea of dating or flirting was beyond them.

The two were only a year apart, but a lot alike. Jessalie was different then other daughters of Zeus, with her blonde hair and sloped in nose. Of course, she knew why, and Thalia, but no one else from Camp Half Blood, and that was a secret that was best kept hidden for now. Her facial features were so much like Percy's that in a way, they could be twins.

Percy squeezed her hand as her sobs quieted down, now only silent tears streaking their way down her face. The rain had calmed too, being a reflection on her emotions, and was a steady drizzle, but no longer blowing sideways with the wind. Percy helped her up and held on tight as she stepped out and off the branch.

They free fell for a couple of seconds, before Jessalie tightened the air pressure below them at the last possible second, slowing their fall.

"Come on Jessly," Percy said, "let's go home and get you dried off."

Jessalie nodded her head to say that she heard him, but she wasn't really listening as she followed him through the dense canopy of trees, feeling numb. Thalia's promise was still echoing throughout her head, ringing in her ears.

_"I promise you Jessalie Aura. I promise you I will come back."_

She had promised, and Thalia never broke her promises. 'She had promised,' Jessalie thought to herself again. 'Everything will be alright.' And as she gripped Percy's hand tight and allowed him to lead her through the woods to a warm, safe home she believed it. Just for that moment she actually allowed herself to believe that everything would be alright.

But it's not alright.

Because she hasn't come back.

Because it has long passed 'soon',

And that was three months ago.


	3. Chapter 3

**hey guys, sorry this is such a short chapter but its just a filler, im jumping around through time to get through all the back story. next chapter is when the real story starts, so bear with me! and please review!**

Jessalie stared at herself in the mirror. It didn't look like her, face too pale, blue eyes gaunt looking. She made a face; the face in the mirror copied her. She sighed and pulled her white blonde summer hair out from her eyes. Now that it was summer she couldn't fill her days with school or pretend to be too busy studying to notice anyone. Now she had to acknowledge them.

She leaned closer to the mirror and studied her eyes. The white part was constantly red these days, the delicate skin around her eyes sore and puffy. She went to her closet and pulled on a pair of cutoffs and a blue t-shirt.

"Jessly!" Percy called from downstairs, "Elle's here."

Jessalie nodded to herself in the mirror, silently responding. She never spoke to anyone now, Percy being the only exception. But that didn't happen until much later and she still only spoke to him when no one else was around. She didn't cry at first either, after that initial night when Thalia left, but now she did.

She would find herself a nice comfortable spot, high up in a tree, and sob her eyes out. Sometimes Percy would come and find her, and she would talk then, talk until her throat was sore and she lost her voice, making up for all those moments of silence she spent throughout the day. And Percy would just listen, giving an occasional comment here or there.

Percy listened to her just as she listened to him, eight months ago, when he appeared at her camp, lost and confused. She listened to him as he slowly got his memory back, telling her about the Greek camp, the camp where she should have been. She listened to him as he told her that Jason was okay, that he was coming back, she listened all about Thalia, her true sister, never once doubting him. And now he did the same for her, listening. Sometimes all you need is someone to listen.

Jessalie's current best friend while Thalia had her living like a mortal, Elle, came trotting up the stairs, her footsteps loud compared to my usually silent tread.

"Ready?" she asked, her bright brown eyes shining and her cheeks pink from the heat. Her smile was wide, her face always seeming to be lit up. That was one thing that people noticed when they saw the two of them together. Like light bulbs, one always turned off, one always turned on.

Jessalie nodded at her and tried to match her smile but failed miserably. So instead she stuffed one last shirt into her already over-flowing suitcase, heaved it off the bed, slipped on her old, ragged tennis shoes and followed Elle down the stairs. Percy was sitting in the kitchen, waiting. He had just turned seventeen and was excited to drive, anywhere and everywhere, which meant Jessalie was stuck with him in a car for five hours as they drove to the Camp she would be attending for the next three weeks.

Jessalie hated the idea of leaving now, with Thalia being gone so long and Jason bound to turn up any day now, but it was Thalia who originally signed her up for this damn camp, saying that a regular mortal camp was just what she needed. Thalia always said that she didn't like growing up on the run. Didn't need it and didn't deserve it, and apparently neither did Jessalie.

But now Thalia was gone and the camp didn't have a refund policy so camp it was.


	4. Chapter 4

It was day eighteen at Jessalie's three week camp session, just over half way through. It wasn't actually that bad, she had to admit. She was the best at everything except the horseback riding. The Roman camp and Camp Half Blood had had all the same sort of activities, except for at a much higher scale. And as for the horses, well Jessalie kept trying to kick them right under where their wings should be, except normal wingless-horses did not like that, at all.

So there Jessalie was, heading for the mess hall as the dinner bells were ringing when a rather annoyed looking camp director came up to her. She raised an eyebrow in question, still on her no talking streak.

"You are going to have a visitor," he said, through clenched teeth.

'A visitor,' Jessalie thought, her heart skipping a beat.

"I don't know who, the director continued, "just that the person on the other end of the phone said it was urgent. Urgent enough to disregard every one of our camp policies anyway."

"When?" she asked, speaking her first word to someone other than Percy in four months, her voice surprisingly clear.

The counselor looked shocked at Jessalie's sudden decision to talk, but she wasn't having any of it.

"When?" Jessalie demanded again.

"Now, I suppose," the counselor answered, uncertainly.

Then, as if on cue, the distant rattling of an engine could be heard, coming up the dusty mountain trail. As it came into view Jessalie could see the car, a black four doo impala, swerving side to side. There could only be one person that she knew of that drove that bad. Could it really be?

She was scared to even think that it was, but her unspoken question was soon answered. The car stopped and the sound of a door opening and closing rang out. As the dust cleared there was a lone figure leaning against the hood, all decked out in black, hair a bit longer now, but still spike up. She wore black combat boots and fingerless gloves, and despite the heat, a black leather jacket was slung across the girl's shoulders, revealing a faded green t-shirt underneath.

She stood with all the poise and grace of someone so sure of themselves, one leg swung over the other, her arms crossed. Jessalie would know that face, that demeanor, anywhere.

"Thalia," she gasped, as she began to make her way over to her sister, slowly at first, then picking up speed. When Jessalie got to her she stood frozen for a moment, unsure whether to laugh or to cry. Thalia made that decision for her when she looked Jessalie up and down, then spoke two words.

"Miss me?"

In seconds the two had each other in a tight embrace, but Thalia soon found herself on her knees, doubled over and clutching her stomach, trying to catch her breath. Jessalie drew her hand away, still tightly clutched in a fist, and shook it out. Thalia had really developed some muscles while she was away, and punching her had bruised Jessalie's hand.

She looked down at her sister, who while appearing to be twenty or so, had actually been alive for much longer.

"How could you?!" Jessalie screeched, "How could you leave us, leave _me_ like that?"

Thalia wheezed, still trying to catch her breath. Jessalie's blow had obviously taken a lot out of her. "Found…Jason…fine…on..his way."

She rushed the last part out, all in one breath. By then quite a crowd had formed. The counselor stepped forward, showing obvious concern for Thalia. Jessalie sighed and reached her hand down, grabbing Thalia's and planting her feet firmly over Thalia's. Then Jessalie threw her weight and pulled, doing exactly as Jason had showed her so many years ago when he was first teach a tiny five year old how to fight.

"There," she said curtly, once Thalia was back on her feet. "Now, where. Is. My. Brother?"

"He is technically _our_ brother." Thalia countered.

"More mine then yours," Jessalie shot back.

Thalia shut her breath, knowing better then to argue with Jessalie, and instead stuck her arms out, offering a hug. Thalia never offered her hugs in public, so Jessalie knew better then to refuse. She stepped forward into Thalia's familiar and safe embrace.

She had so many mixed emotions, and so many questions. 'Had Jason done his job?' 'Did their father agree with their plan?' 'Was the mist still tightly woven?'

Jessalie felt a drop of water land in her hair and was surprised to know that Thalia was crying. "You scared me," Jessalie breathed. "Every single day you were gone I thought you wouldn't be back."

"Oh Jessly, did you ever think that I didn't miss you? I worried about you everyday"

"Percy was there for me," Jessalie continued as if Thalia hadn't even spoken. "Percy didn't leave me alone, sobbing in the woods, thinking the worst, watching you flit away through the trees, right into the arms of danger."

She knew that what she was saying was mean, but what Thalia had done had hurt deep.

"I am so sorry Jessly, but it worked. Leo's ship is to set sail in three weeks or so. Our families will be together again, after so many years. That is, if everyone cooperates."

'Damn Romans.' She didn't say it, but Jessalie smiled at knowing that that was exactly what Thalia was thinking. For now Jessalie just breathed, in, out, in and out, a continuous, calming pattern. Because her whole world was spinning right now, so she did the logical thing; she held tight and breathed.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter update for my lovelies. ive updated almost all my stories today so go check them out if you want. hope you enjoy!**

Off in the distance Jessalie could hear the low, distant rumble of a motorcycle. A rumble so familiar that it could only be Jason's motorcycle. Jessalie smiled to herself, Jason's motorcycle had always been his 'mortal' car, but then again, he couldn't really just jump up and fly off to the grocery store or something, even with the mist people would start to take notice. Jessalie broke free of Thalia's tight grip and spun around, facing the sound of the motorcycle. She placed Thalia's hands on her shoulders, so that they were still touching and together the two waited for the cloud of dust to grow closer and closer, bigger and bigger.

As the motorcycle became clearer and Jessalie started catching glimpses of her brother, a leather jacket, tousled blonde hair peeking out from under his helmet, a purple shirt pressed tight against his stomach from the wind, she forgot everything else. The camp, Elle, the mean counselor, the camp mates, all whom of which were standing around Jessalie and Thalia, watching the scene unfold with wide eyes. Jessalie forgot her fury at Thalia, forgot the dangers she was putting herself into, and focused only on her brother.

When Jason got within five yards he gunned the bike and dropped it down, not even bothering with a kickstand, a huge deal for him. Jessalie broke free from Thalia and in the time it took Jason to remove his helmet she had covered the distance between them, throwing herself in his arms. Jason towered over her, twenty years old already. Last Jessalie had seen him he had been 18, and she only 13.

Jason wrapped his big arms around his little sister and stroked her hair. "Jessly, oh Jessly I missed my baby sister so much. And look at you, not a little baby anymore, all grown up and I wasn't even there to watch it happen. Oh Jessly I'm so so sorry."

Although the two weren't technically related, the sister part was more than true. Jason had arrived at the Roman camp when he was three, Jessalie arriving only a month after, a mere little girl, just about 2 years old. Jason had immediately taken Jessalie under his wing, training her and watching over her all his life. Then the year before, Jason was whisked away as part of a sick exchange program between the children of the gods, drawn up by Hera.

A year after he returned to camp, but only briefly, before leaving for another two years of dangerous quests. But now Jason was back, and Jessalie wasn't too keen on letting him go again.

"I missed you," she finally choked out through the lump forming in her throat.

Jason laughed, "There's an understatement."

"A big one," Jessalie agreed with a small chuckle.

"No more leaving you. I don't care what Percy or Thalia or anyone says, you're more than old enough and next time you're coming with me."

Jessalie was shocked. Jason had always been the entirely too protective older brother, the only exception came when he was training her for battle. But now for Jessalie to hear this... she was truly shocked.

"Will you?" Jason asked, his eyes searching his sisters. Then he let out a laugh. "Of course you will!"

Jessalie grinned, he was back to his old tricks, reading her face like an open book. Jason picked her up and swung her around like she was a little girl again. Another car pulled up behind the two, bringing with it another cloud of red dust. The door opened and out clambered Percy, with Annabeth right behind him, both coughing in the dust. Figures.

"Jason," Percy breathed, once the coughing fit had left him.

"Hey lil' cousin!" Jason exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.

They had what Jessalie like to call a 'guy conversation', lots of 'hey man-s' and 'no way-s!'. Jessalie stayed quiet, her big brother's arms still securely wrapped around her as she thought over the last couple of months. She wasn't really paying attention to the conversation which is why she jumped when she heard Percy's voice suddenly raise.

"No! Absolutely not! Jessly you can't!"

Jessalie looked up, lost and confused.

"Jason was just explaining to Percy about how he wants to take you with him on quests from now on. He wants you to be back with your 'roman family'." Annabeth explained.

'Great,' Jessalie thought, 'now she's being helpful.'

Jessalie seethed to herself over the way Annabeth had said 'Roman', like it was a sort of disease or something. But Jason was right, she did miss her roman family, especially Adam, the young child she had been assigned to before she left. He must be around seven now. Jessalie looked thoughtfully at Percy before speaking.

"I am going to go back to the center for a while. I know I have a family here in New York, but I still miss my first home, my first family, and I know they miss me. But don't worry, I'll switch off soon, come back for fall, see you off to your new boarding school. Try not to blow this one up Percy." Jessalie finished with a wink.

Percy opened his mouth to protest but Jessalie narrowed her eyes, giving him her best 'Thalia stare', letting Percy know that her decision was final.

"Besides," she added, "if all goes according to plan I won't have to keep switching off in secret for much long.

Realizing he was defeated, Percy lowered his gaze. "Well, I suppose it'd be okay to go off with Jason, just _please_ try to stay safe, for me."

Jessalie let out a squeal and ran forward to engulf Percy in one of her rare hugs. "Thank you," she whispered. Percy smiled and hugged her back; he hadn't realized how much his approval meant to Jessalie.

The whole scene was quite unusual for Jessalie, but with missing both her siblings for so long she could really care less. Annabeth let out a huff of impatience, and Percy and I reluctantly let go. He leaned down before I could go, "I'm glad to have you back Jessly," he said smiling. "I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to come out of that sprawling labyrinth that exists only inside your head."

Jessalie grinned, "I'm glad to be back Percy."


End file.
